Bottle-capping machine



c. LA BEEF.

BOTTLE CAPPING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 15, 19l9.

Patented Mar. 9, 1920.

J7 romvavs CHARLES H. LA BEEF, or ONEIDA, NEW YORK.

BOTTLE-GAPPING MACHINE.

To all whom it may concern Be it knownthat 1., CHARLES HARRY LA Bnnr, a citizen of the United States of America, andresident of Oneida,v in the county of Madison, in the State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Bottle-Capping Machines, of

which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is anal, clear, and exact description. 5

My invention relates to improvements in bottle capping machines, and it pertainsto that class which is used for placing paper caps in the mouths of milk bottles and the like. p

Herctofore, as bottle capping machines 'have been constructed it often happens, in

practical operation, that the caps do not pass readily through the horizontal opening at the lower part of the magazine. This is causedby the varying thickness of the paper. caps. They vary in thickness from one thousandth, '(1 1000), to seventeen thou- I sandths, (17/1000) ,of an inch.

As the machines are now made this opening atthelower part of the plunger cylinder can not be varied withouttaking the machine apart, or turning the screwswhich hold the bottomof the cylinder to the base plate, and in no case can it be varied instantly.

.This horizontal opening often becomes clogged on account of a cap bein'gtoo thick to be completely passed or forced through the opening, in which case the bottle is not capped and the machine becomes clogged,

other caps being forced against the first one, the machine is prevented from working and liable to be badly injured. Much time is lost incleaning away the spoiled caps and putting the machine in order. 1

Again on account of the varying thickness or thinness of the caps it often happens that twovery thin caps are forced into the opening at once and become clogged.

My invention is intended .to provide a method of instantly and automatically'varying, or adjusting, vertically the'size of the horizontal opening'at'the lower part of the magazine, through-which the caps have to be passed in order to be positioned under the plunger and over the mouth of the bottle to be capped, so it will correspond to the thickness or thinness of each cap as it is presented, and, adapted to, allow only one capto pass 7 Specification of Letters Patent. 7 Application filed March 15, 1919. Serial No. 282,866.

Patented Marni), 1920.

through the opening at a time and also adapted-to allow the thickest cap used to pass through without clogging.

I accomplish this purpose by having the opening made the approximate size that will. permit the entrance of the thickest cap used, Also, by somewhat elongating'the plunger the wall or castingbetween the magazine and the cylinder, in those machlnes already made, or by providing for it in new castings.

"chamber either by cutting away that part of i I In this chamber 1 place a device or member composed of suitable material as metal preferably, formed to fit the space betweenthe magazine and. the plunger, and which can move up and down a short distance within the chamber as shown, the plane of each end of the device is rectangular; the planes of the top and bottom are perpendicular to the planes of the endspthe sides are concave. One concave side of the device forms a part of theinterior surface of the cap. magazine the other concave side formspart of thein terior surface of the; plunger cylinder.

Holes are drilled lengthwise] through the supporting rods canlbe placed, one fastened to one :end of the'device and the other fastened to'the' other end. The upper partof these rods are supplied with tension spiral springs and adjusting nutsv so that the decasting, one on each side, through which vice can beheld in equipoise, its lower surface is spaced approximately a sufficient distancefrom the bed plate on which the caps slide to allow the thinnest capusedto enter the opening at the plunger cylinder.

The device is never allowed to fall any lower.

In case a'thicker cap is presented at the opening the moment ittouches the balanced device it, (the device), is instantly raised a sullicient distance to allow the thicker cap to enter the opening We believe this is'ef fected by the action of the tension springs. The device being held in equipoise the pressure of the cap as its upper surface touches the under surface of the device destroys the equipoise by releasing some of the weight of the device from the springs and the springs contract and raisethe devlce ust a sufficient distance to restore the equipoise and allow the cap to completelyenterthe plunger chamber and become positioned under the plunger and over the mouth of the bottle to be capped.

a hole in A into'which the rod Kis fastened and regulating nuts.

As soon as the cap is completelyout from under the device its full weight is placed upon the tension springs and it falls to its original position. This action is repeatedas rapidly as the caps can be presented. In that manner the opening is instantly and automatically varied to admit caps of vary ing'thickness, varying from one thousandth to seventeen thousandths otan inch in thickness. Y r

My invention is further explained by reference to the accompanying drawin in which similarletters refer to similar parts throughout the severalviews.

Figure 1 is a vertical view of a part of the capping machine with my invention added.- i

Fig. 2*isanothervertical section of a part of the capping machine 'Wlt-il the addition ofm'y invention, i

Fig. 3 isa plan view ofa part of the machine looking at the bottom of'th-e machine, with my invention in place.

Fig. a is asectional view of the device With the'supportingrods and tension springs B reprethe lower Letter A represents the device. sents the horizontal opening 7 at part of the magazine it being the open spacebetween thebed plate on which the caps sl'ideand the lower edge of the cylinder which is cut one half of the eir'ciu'nference of the cylinder for a distancesuiiicient toleave room for the passage oi? the thickest cap used. C representsthe movable plate which is used "to" push the caps from the cap magazine into the cylinder and under the plunger. D i represents the cap magazine, "E thefplunger cylinder, F the" plunger," G represents a cap partlyin the magazine and partly :in the plunger chamhen.

lirepresents the longitudinal hole in the casting-through which a supporting rod K' passes. L represents the spiral spring at the upper; end of the rod K and Ma the regulating nut on the end of the rod K. I? represents a Washer resting on thecasting and surrounding the rod 1%: and which acts as a shoulder on which rests the lower part of the spiral spring L. 0 represents the by the nut P. Q, represents caps in the magazine. r

The operation of my invention is as follows z Vi hen the device A is in its normal position there is approximately room enough between its lower surface and the bed plate to allow the thinnest cap usedto pass under 1t into the plunger cylinder. W hen the movable plate'C pushes a thick cap. from the 7 magazine D so its edge is presented to the opening B its edge hits the lower edge of A and by its' action "and the' action ofthe spiral springs L, A is raised upward a dis tance ust suflicient to allow the cap to "pass under it and. into the plunger cylinder. As the movable plate C is removed A falls to its first position and the opening-B is ready to receive another cap. The action of A is instantaneous and automatic.

What I claim is 1. In a-capping machine, the combination with a cap magazine having an opening through a wall thereof a-nd'a chamber containing a plunger of an equipoised device partially closing the opening through the magazine wall.

2. In a capping machine, the combination with a cap magazine having an opening through a wall thereof and a chamber contaming-a plunger of a resiliently supported devicepartially closing the opening through the magazine wall;

3. The combination with a plunger chamberand a cap magazinehaving an opening through the wall thereof permitting communication between the cap magazine and the plunger chamber of a. substantially bal a-nced device movable across said opening.

4. The combination with the plunger chamber and the cap llltiglZlile having an opening through a wall thereof permitting communication between the cap magazine and the plunger chamber, said opening of a vertical width sufficient to permitthe passage of a cap of maximumthic kness, of a spring supported substantially balanced device normally constricting said opening to a width permitting, the passageonly of a cap of practically minimum thickness.

6. The combination with the plunger v chamber andthe cap magazine having an opening through a wall thereof permitting communication between "the cap magazine and the plunger chamber," said opening of avertlcal width suftic'ientto permit theapassage ofa' cap of maximum thickness; of a 7 spring supported device between' the plunger and the cap magazine and'normally constricting saidiopening to a widtlrpermitting the passage only of a cap of practically minimumthickness; v

7. "The combination with a cap .ma'gazine having an opening through a wall thereof to permit the flatwise Ypa'ssag'erof caps of an equip'oised movable device-only partially closing said openin 8. In a bottlecappihg machine, the-com bination with a cap magazine-anda plunger the machine, for holding said device in,

9. In a bottle capping-machine, of the described class, the comblnation with a cap magazine and a plunger cylinder of a solid metal device with plane rectangular ends, the planes of the top dicular to the planes of the ends, each perpendicular side concave to correspond to the concavity of the interior surface of the cap;

magazine and plunger. cylinder, respectively, and adapted to be contained in a' chamber in the lower part of the body oi?" the machine, situate between the cap'magazme and the' plunger cyllnder, and means, independent of theother working parts of equipoise, and for raising and lowering it a short distance automatlcally and instantaneously to make the opening correspond to the thickness or thinness of each cap as the caps are successively presented at the and bottom perpen-- opening so that each cap can pass through .the opening without clogging it.

10. In a capping machine, the combinatlon with a cap magazlnehavlng an opening through the wall thereof and a chamber con-- taining a plunger of an equipoised device arranged externally of the cap magazine and between the cap magazine and the plunger and normally partially closing the opening through the magazine wall. I a

llqln a capping machine, the combina J thereof and a chamber containing a plunger of a device spring supported from the upper wall of the plunger chamber so as vto tion with a cap magazine having an opening throughqthe" lower portion of a wall normally exist in an equipoised' condition"- partially closin wall of the cap magazine. v i

12. In a cappin machine the combination with a cap magazine having an opening through a wall thereof and a chamber contannng plunger of a device partlally J- a i 1 g the opemng through the closin the o enin throu h the ma 'azine wall and means for supporting said device in substantially balanced conditlon;

' In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 4th day of March, 1919; i

' CHAS. I-I. LA BEEF.

Witnesses:

HOWARD P. Dawson, H. E. CHASE. I 

